Machine for crushing fabrics



Dec. 28 1926.

H. A. SLITER MACHINE FOR CRUSHING FABRICS Filed Feb. 1. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 lllTIlH A: ll-H 1 INVENTUR' Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,541

H. A. SLITER MACHINE FOR CRUSHING FABRICS Filed Feb. 1, lake 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 28,

unrrsn stares I'IOYVARD A. SLITER, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOB GB USI-IING FABRICS.

Application filed February 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,401.

My invention relates to crushing, sliir ring and similarly forming silkand other fabrics such as in the manufacture of linings for caskets andthe like.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of means toreduce the time ordinarily required to create such effects.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a machine which will shapeor crush silk into a relatively close formation without at any timesuddenly altering the relative arrangement of adjacent portions of thefabric; whereby undue strain and tendency to tear or part, iseliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide for. the rapid crushing offabrics into the highly ornamental design lmown as the clover-leaflesign. altho it is still among the objects of this invention to providea machine which may be altered to crush fabric into other designs bymerely changing the shape of the members which predetermine the patternwhich is to be created.

Other objects include the provision of simplified parts and mechanismswith a view to providing for low first cost quick replacement or repair.and low cost of operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide for more rapidly applyinga backing to the material after it is crushed into shape.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for using duplicateand interchangeable parts to a large extent.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter andwill. be better understood because of the order in which they appear inthe following description of one practical embodiment of my invention.

l have illustrated the said one practical embodiment of my invention byway of example. it being understood that my invention asdefincd intlieappended claims is subject to being incorporated with any suitablemechanism, without enlarging the scope of the invention. i

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the said embodiment;

Figure 1 is a plan view of one cornerof the machine; all four cornersbeing practically identical.

Figure 2 is a plan view of an element hereinafter ancvwn as nne of thecup-shaped elements.

l igure 3 is a view in bottom elevation thereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the machine showing the movablemembers arranged in close relation to one another.

Figure 5 is a view in section on a line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure (5 is a view in section on a line 66 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan View of a portion of the machine showinga piece of fabric in the first stage of crushing.

Figure 8 is a view analogous to Fig. 7 and showing the fabric as havingbeen crushed.

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan view of a fragment of a piece of fabricwhich has been crushed according to my invention.

Figure 10 is a view in bottom elevation. on smaller scale, of thefragment of fabric shown in Fig. 9.

In carrying out my invention in this embodiment I employ two groups ofunits; one group includes the movable bases 12, the plates 13, the stems14 for supporting the plates, and the links 15. The other group includesthe cups 16 and the yolres 16. All the parts just mentioned are used ina great multiplicity. Each base is separate and apart from the other andeach base supports theupstanding stem 14. Said stem, in this embodimentis a common type of long screw with the rounded head 14?. The screw isheld fixed to the corresponding base by being threaded into such baseand by being locked thereto by a nut 18. Each stem is used to support acorresponding plate. the plate being held between the screw head and asecond nut 17. Thus each head is held by a stem, at a point well abovethe corresponding base. The assemblies of base, stem and plate may betermed the male fabric forming member. and such members or units areprovided in large numbers. according to the size of material to behandled and according to the proximity of formations.

The male units are. in this embodiment adapted to form triangularcavities 19, in the finished product and accordingly the plates are eachtriangular in shape. The machine includes a frame 20 having end channelmembers 21 supported and secured bv angle legs '57. A. plurality oflongitudinal bars or ways are provided; the of said bars being slidablei-nthe corloo i inding channel spaces 21 of the chan nels 211. on atransverse member 2t" which is disposed in each channel space, so thatthe bars are movable laterally of the machine. Each bar is provided witha channel 23 to receive the bases 12; the bases being slidablelongitudinally of the bars. Each bar contains a plurality of the maleunits suitably spaced longitudinally thereof, and the complete machineincludes a plurality of bars sl'idable laterally thereof. The bases 12are of such length that when they abut each other they hold thetriangular plates slightly spaced from each other longitudinally of thebars. The bars are of such width that when they are moved intoabutmentwith each other they hold the plates slightly spaced from eachother laterally of the machine. By moving the bars apart, and thenmoving the male units apart on the bars, all units are spread over alarge area. Then by moving the bars and the units in the directionsmentioned, the units are assembled in a smaller area. It is thisrelative niovei'nen't of the male members which is depended upon to alarge extent in gradually changing the formation of the fabric.

The male members are held relative to each other by this slotted links15, and the bars are held relative to each other by similar slottedlinks 26 titted over pins 26 carried under the bars 22. The outermostbars are provided below with threaded bosses 27, one boss adjacente'ac'li end of each bar. Two ac'k' screws 28 are enmloyed, each connecting one boss of one bar with the corresponding boss of the otherbar. By turning the screws in one direction the bars will be movedtogether, and by turning the screws in the other direction the bars willbe moved apart. When the bars are assembled in close juxtaposition, andthe screws are turned to move the bars apart, the outermost bars movefirst without moving the other bars. hen each outermost bar has moved agiven distance the first links begin to pull on the next bars and so onuntil all bars are spread apart from each other, but during thisspreading of the bars only two bars are moving relative to the nextbars, at any onetime. TV hen the bars are spread apart and the screwsare reversed, the two outermost bars move inwardly until they abut thenext two bars, then these four bars move inwardly until the followingtwo bars are abutt'ed, and so on until all bars are moved back to closejuxtaposition.

The bases and links of the male members, or units, eoactin the same wayas that explained for the bars and their links. Each one of the baseswhich is at the end of a bar is upt'iirned as at 30 to fit into adriving bar 31; said b'ar being slotted as at 32 to receive the upturnedends of the corresponding bases. Such a bar is provided at each end. ofthe machine. These bars are each pivoted at each end by means of anintegral pin pivotally titted to a lug 33 carried by an endless chain 34and running over slowly movable sprocket wheels 35 and 36, whichsprocket wheels are li'xed to shafts such as 36. Slow turning of thewheels moves the chain to move the driving bars to spread the platesapart or to move them together. as the case may be. l t is understoodthat the chains and screws may be moved by hand or by power means; thegearing for operatiiu: same not needing illustration or descriptionherein. The screws and chains say be moved coincidentally but it isthought to be better to contract the arrangement of units in onedirection at a true. Under all moving parts there is provided a bottomwall or plate 56 to protect said parts from below.

In operating the machine the bars are moved apart as far as possible andthe units are moved as far apart possible in the bars, the spacing beingpredetermined by the length of the long slots in the links which connectthe bars and the units. All of the plates of the male units coact toprovide a supporting surface or area on which fabric may be rested,preparatory to crushing.

Each assembly of cup 16 and yoke 16 is known as a female unit and coactswith the male unit in providing the cavities in the finished product.Each cup is triangular in outline totit loosely over a correspondingplate and each cup is designed to receive the head of the screw of suchplate. The yoke of each cup has side portions 42 spaced apart to providean intermediate space eti? of rectangular outline in cross section andprovides for the cups being movably strung along square forming rods 40.Each yoke has a continuation 42 which is upturned at the end as at 48.The yokes are each cut away at the top as at -H to provide spacedtransverse edges 4% and M respectively. Each upturned end of one yoke isfitted in the cut-away portion of the next following yoke so that allyokes connect with one another when they are spread longitudinally ofthe rod 40. The yokes are attached, each to a corresponding cup byrivets, such as r Thus the cups are movable along the rods into spacedrelationship to each other, the spacing which they eventually take beinggoverned by the length of the cutaway portions of the yokes.

The cups are turned down at each of their three edges as at 4-5 and theturned down portions are cut away as at 4:5, centrally of each side, andas at 46, at the uncture of two sides. Thus six fingers t? are provided,two fingers for each of the three sides of the triangular cup, and thecomplete cup is possessed of six openings between the fingers. It shouldbe noted here, that when the trilie ill

angular plates are spread :tully apart, or are close together, theplates are so arranged that their centers are alined along parallellines running longitudinally of the machine,

as well as being alined along parallel. lines" running obliquely ot' themachine at an angle of degrees from the longitudinal linesf In operatingmy improved machine, and in carrying out my improved method with this orother similar machines which may be constructed in conformance with myinven tion, the Fabric 52 to be crushed is laid loosely over theexpanded arrangement of triangular plates, in this case. "hen the barswhich carry the cups are laid down over the material, one by one, witheach cup litted over a corresponding triangularplate. lVhen all bars arein position, the first step in the actual crushing of the material hasbeen accomplished, butother steps must follow before the desired resultis obtained. hen the heavy bars are in place the material immediatelyoverlying each plate as at is at one elevation while the materialin'unediately under the lowermost end of each linger as at 52 is at thelowermost ele vation; all other portions of the material being stretchedor drawn into characteristic bulges or billows. For instance; each pointof a plate is directed toward the corresponding side opening of a cup,and inversely, each of the corner openings of one cup is tered with theside opening of adjacent cups, this arrangement of the material formingarched gatherings 51. of maximum width where it comes thru a sideopening of a cup, and of lesser width where it extends thru the corneropening of an adjacent cup.

It is essential, in producing a correct appearing pattern that the unitsall be moved together both longitudinally and transversely of themachine while the cups are in place. The rods being unattached to anypart of the machine, they will move together when the longitudinal barsare moved together. The cups being slidable on the rods they will movetogether when the plates are crowded together longitudinally of themahine. As the distance between each point of each plate and eachcorresponding side oi each plate grows less, the intervening material iscaused to bulge downwardly in grace lul curves. Vi hen the plates aremoved, together with the cups into .the compact ultimate tormation, thecrushing eli'cct is completed. While the plates are vin this formationthe rods, with the contained cups are lifted -trom the machine, leavingthe tabric undisturbed, in the shape into which it was crushed. To applya backing (not shown) to the fabric such backing is laid over the fabricand stitched or basted thereto; the screw heads, particularly the slotsthereof, serving as guides for the needle which. used to do the basting.

It will be apparent now that when the backing is applied the completedprod u t may be lifted from the machine, and all parts returned tonormal position. V hen the outside bars are moved outwardly a slightdistance, the corresponding links begin to move the next two bars, andso on until the assembly of bars is completely expanded.

Then the plates may be returned to original position, leaving themachine ready for another operation.

It will be apparent now that one ot the salient features of my inventionresides in supporting the plates well above the rest of the machine, sothat as the plates move together the indented portions of the fabric arefree to assume any shape into which they are directed, and the resultantproduct is characterized by the depressions 19 formed by the material atthe point 50, which are wider at the bottom than at the top, togetherwith the cavities at 52 which form complementary bulges, as at 52'.

While I have shown and described specitic constructions, arrangen'ientsof parts, method ot' operation and specific movement to be imparted tothe machine and its parts, I do not limit myself thereto, and may employany construction or arrangement of parts, and may move the plateslongitudinally only, or transversely only, and may Follow any methods orsteps to which the machine and invention is suited. as I desire,

or as occasion seems to require, without enlargingthe scope of myinvention within the appended claims.

Having described one practical embodiment of my invention, that which Iclaim as new and patentable is:

1. In a fabric crushing machine, laterally movable members, basescarried by each laterally movable member; said bases being movablelongitudinally of the. member which carries them, stems, one rising fromeach base, and horizontal plates, one carried by each stem adjacent theupper end of the stem whereby fabric may told under each plate towardsaid corresponding stem as the plate moves toward one another.

"2. In a fabric crushing machine, laterally movable members, basescarried by each laterally nu able member; said bases being movablelongitudinally of the member which carries them, stems, one rising fromeach base, horizontal plates, one carried by each stem adjacent theupper end of the stem whereby fabric may fold under each plate towardthe stems as the plates are moved together, and cups, one for each plateadapted to fit loosely thereover with fabric between the correspondingplate and cup.

3.'In a fabric crushing machine, laterally movable members, basescarried by each laterally movable member, said bases being .movablelongitudinally of the member which carries them, stems, one rising fromeach base, horizontal plates. one carried by each stem adjacent theupper end of the stem whereby fabric may fold under each. plate towardthe stems as the plates are moved toward one another, cups, one for eachplate adapted to fit loosely thereover with fabric between the platesand cups, bars, one for each of certain of the laterally movablemembers; said bars free to move with said members; each bar carryingseveral of said cups freely movable longitudinally thereof.

l. A fabric crushing machine as in claim 2, in which machine the cupsinclude a flattened bottom portion adapted to be disposed. substantiallycontiguous of the plate over which the cup is inverted, and furtherincluding a rim portion arranged to project downwardly over the edges ofthe plate over which the cup is inverted, said cups having verticalopenings cut in the rim portions and intersecting the lower edges of therim portions; for the purpose set forth.

5. A fabric crushing machine as in claim 3, in which machine the cupsinclude a flattened bottom. portion adapted to be dis posedsubstantially contiguous of the plate over which. the cup is inverted,and further including a rim portion arranged to project downwardly overthe edges of the plate over which the cup is inverted, said cups havingvertical openings cut in the rim portions and intersecting the loweredges of the rim portions; for the purpose set forth.

6. A fabric crushing machine as in claim 1; said machine includingcup-like members each adapted to be inverted over a. correspondingplate, each cup-like member having a horizontal portion arranged to bedisposed substantially contiguous of a. plate, and further havingdepending portions adapted to extend below the plate to direct fabricdownwardly therefrom; the stems holding the plates spaced sufficientlyabove the laterally movable members to hold the lowermost parts of thedepending portions of each cup spaced above the laterally movablemembers.

7. In a fabric crushing machine, laterally movable members, basescarried by each laterally movable member; said bases being movablelongitudinally of the member which carries them, stems, one rising fromeach base, and horizontal plates, one carried by each stem adjacent theupper end of the stem whereby fabric may fold under each plate towardsaid, corresponding stem as the plates move toward one another; saidmachine including cup-like members each adapted to be inverted over acorresponding plate, each cup-like member having a horizontal portionarranged to be disposed substantially contiguous of a plate, and furtherhaving depending portions adapted to extend below the plate to directfabric downwardly therefrom; the stems holding the plates spacedsufliciently above the laterally movable members to hold the lowermostparts of the depending portions of each cup spaced above the laterallymovable" members; the depending portions of the cuplike members beingcut away at intervals to provide spaced depending fingers withintermediate spaces for the purpose set forth.

8. In a fabric forming machine, the combination of a plurality ofupright stems, a horizontal plate at the upper end of each stem, and aplurality of inverted cups, each cup adapted to be placed over acorresponding plate with fabric therebetween.

9. In a fabric forming machine, the combination of a plurality ofupright stems, a horizontal plate at the upper end of each stem, and aplurality of inverted cups, each cup adapted to be placed over acorresponding plate with a fabric therebetween, each cup including aportionl arranged to lie substantially contiguous of a plate when in-\"erted thereover, and further including a depending portion disposed todirect fabric downwardly from said plate when inverted thereover, withsuch fabric therebetween, the depending portions of each cup beingprovided with vertical slots intersecting the lower margins thereof toprovide spaced fingers which are directed downwardly when the cup isinverted over a plate.

10. The combination in a machine of the character described of aplurality of stems arranged in parallel linear series, the stems of oneseries being staggered with regard to the stem of immediately adjacentseries, a plurality of triangular plates, one for each stem andsupported at an elevationl by the corresponding stem, triangular cups,one for each plate; said cups adapted to be inverted over correspondingplates with a fabric therebetween.

11. A fabric forming machine as in claim 8, said machine including,laterally movable members each holding a number of said stems, saidstems being movable longitudi nally of said members substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

12. A fabric forming machine as in claim 9, said machine including,laterally movable members each holding a number of said stems, saidstems being movable longitudinally of said members.

13. A fabric forming machine as in claim 9; said machine including,laterally movable members, each holding a number of said stems; saidstems being movable longitudinally of said members, and a plurality ofrods, one for each laterally movable memher and each slidably holding aplurality of the cup-like members and permitting each cup to follow withthe corresponding plate.

14. In a fabric forming machine, a plurality of stems, plates, onecarried at the upper end of each stem, said stems arranged to be spacedapart from each other to be substantially evenly distributed over a maX-imum area, and means for moving said plates laterally as well aslongitudinally of the area to group said plates in even distributionover a reduced area.

15. In a machine of the class described, spaced plates adapted tocollectively support a piece of fabric, means for depressing portions ofthe fabric into the intermediate spaces between said plates, means formoving the plates into close arrangement, and means for holding those.portions of the fabric which are contiguous with the plates, againstmovement during said movement of HOWARD A. SLITER.

